The Great Indian Political Drama

As I (lifelessly and with the least possible interest) go through the headlines of today in the newspaper, there is this one news that seems to be everywhere. Ramdev Baba, apparently had to flee from Ram Lila maidan, where his much anticipated fast was being held; due to ruthless action by police who lathicharged and harmed innocent citizens who had come to ‘protest’ peacefully against the government’s lack of interest in tackling corruption.
Having been a part of a few anti corruption rallies in favour of the Lokpal bill myself, I feel strongly for the Lokpal bill and the movement. Having heard Mr. Kejriwal speak with all the passion he has and having seen an Indian settled abroad (who doesn’t even have to worry about the corruption we have learnt to live with) work so hard to make the bill a success, I can’t help, but appreciate the importance of such a bold and potent bill, which, if implemented, should be able to cure India of the dreadful corruption plague. So, when the government recognised some (if not all) important clauses of the bill and managed to please Anna Hazare so much such that he was ready to break his indefinite fast, a broad smile ran over my lips. Being the ignorant fool that I am, I have no idea about what Mr. Hazare has done for general welfare, nor am I aware of any of his achievements, yet I hold him in very high regards, perhaps since Mr. Kejriwal and Ms. Kiran Bedi (people whom I definitely admire) all look upon him as their leader.
One key member of this team who has been championing the cause is Baba Ramdev. My first reaction on seeing him in the anti corruption rally was simple joy, analogous to what you would get when you would see a Salman Khan plant a tree or a Sachin Tendulkar impart his skill to an orphan. To me, Ramdevji was there to promote and gather support for this noble cause that he too, believed in. Forgive me, if I am short on knowledge in this regard, but I never really heard Ramdevji being an integral part in the drafting of the Lokpal bill. Hold on a second; even if I am mistaken, it will be of little significance with regard to this blog, as you will soon find out. It was Kiranji and Arvindji that had taken the bill to various political parties so that it could be introduced in that grand house (that makes laws for us, and whose canteen is never affected by inflation); and as we all know, it was callously put aside by the same parties that have been holding satyagrahas and who have drawn analogies with The Jallianwaala Bagh.
So my question is why am I so mad about the present state of affairs? Isn’t it routine for our so called leaders to change their stance, isn’t it something taken for granted that our leaders will use anything and everything that can make them popular in the eyes of the people of ‘great’ India. Well let me answer it myself; I am frustrated because due to whosoever’s lack of thought, the current developments have undone all the hard work done by the makers of the Lokpal bill, and in doing so, have managed to dilute the genuinity of this bill; in fact in some ways tainted it with the dark paint of politics, power and the dirt associated with it.
What current state of affairs? Yes, I am talking about all the fiasco over Ramdevji’s fast that has managed to remove the spotlight from the Lokpal bill to petty issues of politics and backbiting that we now so easily associate with our politicians. Never had the common man showed so much enthusiasm, nor had he ever, so openly challenged the government. The government, for the first time knew it was under the eyes of the people who had given them the power they so badly desire. Our babus were on their heels, lest they should do something to displease the common man.
But boom, here comes Baba Ramdev with his own fast demanding that the government give in to a few demands for the common man’s good, or face the wrath of the people for forcing their favourite yoga teacher to go on an indefinite fast. What follows??It takes absolutely no time for things to go out of hand, Lathicharge, tear gas shells, four people in the ICU and suddenly all focus shifts to Baba Ramdev v/s the govt. Suddenly the point of debate on ‘We the people’ shifts from ‘Is this the beginning of a new era in the Indian political history, where democracy functions for the people.’ to ‘Could the government have handled the case in a more professional manner. Is Baba Ramdev trying to make himself a political hero by these gimmicks?’
Whatever happened to the “JAN LOKAPAL BILL” and all the hard work that its founders had put in, what about all the hard work that we did, that I did. Alas!! All of it seems to have gone down the gutter. I am not here to blame anyone for the doldrums our country’s political scenario seems to be in; the doldrums that all of us, as Indian citizens seem to be in; but here I am, only to vent my feelings of regret and anger that have risen out of the ashes of my hopes of living in a corrupt free India, where I won’t have to bribe people just because they can manage to cause roadblocks in letting me do my work the way it should be done; Ashes of hopes that were burnt with that small piece of the gigantic pandal (where the supposedly ‘Jallian Wala Bagh 2’ took place). The fire was short-lived, but was enough to burn down every ounce of positive thought that came to my mind when I thought of politics and reform, and all that is left behind is utter cynicism and indifference- towards politicians, towards active participation in democracy and towards dreams of a beautiful India. And I believe there will be millions of rational citizens throughout this beautiful country of ours, who will second my thoughts. I don’t know if this cynicism will ever leave me, may be it finally gives way to the feeling of apathy, apathy in my mind, in the minds of millions of Indian citizens, or may be, we again somehow manage to believe that ‘Yes, We CAN’. However till such inspiration manages to create the phoenix in me, I sign off.
-Disappointed Indian